The prevailing mood is hilarious as the siblings spend their time swindling people of their money. And even though these siblings have such a heavy past hanging over them their banter with each other is fast, upbeat, and hilarious. Nevertheless the story doesn't seem silly but has depth because of the serious and sad moments when the three remember their parents and the pain over their loss.
So it's not a lie, this drama is surprisingly funny. And cleaver camera work too, you can be watching one scene and suddenly realize in the background there's a continuation of another scene going on at the same time. Brilliant!
"I would recommend it to everyone who likes stories which leave you with a laughing and a weeping eye.." - and I second that.
(Lingering thought: Nino as Ryo's older brother was a bit hard to swallow at first but that's just getting nit-picky on my part)
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Story: Great story. Probably the best thing about the show. The storyline seemed really interesting and it sure was. I was relieved that it wasn't very dramatic and was actually very funny because I'm honestly sick of watching melodramas.
Acting/Cast: I think this was the second best thing about the drama. Nino is seriously an amazing actor. Now I know why people say he's the best actor in Arashi. Erika was good here, better than any of her other roles I've seen her in. I haven't watched Nishikido in anything but I think I'll add some of his dramas on to my plan to watch list :)
Rewatch Value: I gave it a 10/10 since I'm already rewatching it even though I just finished it 2 days ago.
This is an amazing drama and I would recommend you to watch it. I loved every moment, from start to beginning and I assure you that you won't be disappointed.
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I expected a lot of darkness (look at the poster!) and some melodrama in it. The drama does have a dark tone to it but it has comedic relief which makes it less serious than it is. It was mostly focused on finding the killer and the emotions of the three siblings. Although their motive seems like they are capable of big actions but they are all soft and kind inside.
The characterization was really good. All three siblings are equally likable and you can always defend their actions. I ended up feeling sorry for them when they reminisced about the events that changed their lives, and laughed hard whenever they tricked other people. All I can say is these three are a lot smarter and stronger than they seem. My favourite character was Kouichi and I loved Ninomiya Kazunari's performance. He can act quite well. Being a fan of Erika Toda, I liked her here too. I am used to watching her as a nice girl in almost all her dramas but when she played bad here briefly, it was different. This was her best performance till now out of what I have seen. I also liked Nishikido Ryo. He made his character relatable and didn't fade into the shadows like an underdog.
And as for the mystery- I guessed correctly in the beginning itself. But later when they were doubting someone else, I went with the flow. The murder didn't seem random neither the culprit. It was added up well and made sense. Things were strung together pretty neatly. They didn't mess up the plot in anyway. Apart from that, I didn't care about the romance because it failed to touch me. I found those parts boring and repetitive after a while.
The ending wasn't what I expected. The morale of characters made a major role in here. I would have changed two major things if I could, but it's alright since this ending makes it different from other murder stories I have ever come across. A cliche would have ruined the whole thing by making it seem predictable, but I have would have liked it better. I don't know if I completely agree with the current one but it is sensible so it's hard to criticize it.
I think it's a great drama and not too depressing to watch. Everyone should give it a chance and not hesitate.
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This show is SO JAPANESE
It has all the elements that I’ve fallen in love with Japanese dramas in the first place— the humor, the culture, and the plots. I love it all so much. When I heard the OST I knew it was ARASHI. And recognized “Nana” !!! I hope to see more old Japanese dramas like these. I love that even with tragedy, it was realistic. The siblings lived normally as young adults and let us peek through their adult lives as children of parents who died. I love that it isn’t cliche. I CANT EXPLAIN IT, it’s just NEW.Was this review helpful to you?
Surprisingly Non-melodramatic for a Revenge Drama
This drama reminded me of the soap operas produced by TVB in Hong Kong back in the 80's and 90's. A lot of these tropes were later adopted by Korean dramas in the 2000's to 2010's. This Japanese drama, even though it was released in 2008, was refreshing and entertaining. The reason? Because it did not use melodrama like the others to sustain the viewer's interest.What I liked:
- the dynamics of the three siblings
- some of the realism experienced in male-female romances
- unconventional characters > love how each sibling had distinct personality traits
- the fact that the younger brother and sister played a big part in the solving of the mystery, and did not simply be relegated to sidekick status
- character development for the protagonists and antagonisists
> showed a subtle complexity rather than relying on stock characteristics
- the ending
What was iffy:
- could have paid more attention to the relationship dynamics between Koichi & Shizuna
> considering the fact that they were the major players in the scams and the investigation of the mystery
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